How much lead weights do you use?

[Richard Dayan]

I am 5 foot 9 230 lbs, I wear an (always new) Oniel heat 4/3 and a Waterproof UH-1 hooded vest, and I need 28 lbs to go under. What are you wearing and how much weights do you need? I would like to compare.



Thanks

 

[MaxBottomtime]

6'3", 210#, 18 pounds with a steel tank and drysuit.

 

[Cheizz]

2 kg of lead weight.

I'm 1.80 m, 90 kg, dive 6mm wetsuit, steel backplate&wing, 12L steel tank setup.

 

[Bazzathemammoth]

190lbs with 8/7 semi dry, bp/w with sta and heavy 11.6 steel tank. No lead required

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Richard Dayan

That seems like a lot of weight. Do you do your weight check at the end of your dive at your safety stop with an empty tank and BC?

I'm 5'10", 190 lbs. I use 20 lbs with a 7 mm full suit, 5/3 hooded vest and an AL80. I use 14 lbs with my full 5 mm and the hooded vest and 8 lbs with my full 3 mm and the hooded vest. I lose 4 lbs when I dive with a HP steel 100.

In the end, your weight requirement is your weight requirement

 

[mcohen1021]

Caribbean waters, 1.5 mil top... 166# 5'10" I use 4#.

 

[Jcp2]

Fresh water, drysuit, medium undergarments, HP100, total weight 4# in backplate and 8# in ditchable weight.

Salt water, 3 mm full wetsuit, AL80, total weight 10# in ditchable weight.

Salt water, rash guard HP100, no extra weight needed.

 

[Cthippo]

6' 1", 340 lbs, with a 7mm and a steel 72 I need all of 30 lbs to sink. With a 3/2mm I can get away with 20 lbs.

 

[davecampbell]

5'9" 175-180 lbs...
trilam drysuit, thermals, steel plate, steel hp100, fresh water = 16lbs

3mm wetsuit, carbon plate, AL 80, salt water = 12 lbs

 

[inquis]

I would like to compare.

The amount of lead is incredibly variable because of differences in kit and environment (even for the same person and exposure suit). If I wear a stainless steel backplate with steel cylinders and a 3mm wetsuit in freshwater, I'm overweighted. If I use an aluminum plate with an AL80 tank in salt water (same 3mm suit), I need 10 lbs of lead. In my old padded jacket BC with AL80/salt, I needed 12 lbs of lead. That a 13 lb swing, even with the same suit and for the same person!

The best way to get your particular weighting in your particular kit is to do a proper weight check. At the end of a dive at the safety stop, purge the tank down to reserve pressure (typically 500 psi in an AL80 tank), and try to vent your BC. If much air comes out (or you have to kick more than "gently" to avoid descending), that configuration is over-weighted. Reduce lead for the next dive and try again. Keep notes.

That said, under some conservative assumptions (salt water, single AL80 tank, jacket BC), it still sounds like you could shed some lead.